A WOMAN from Oswestry has sailed through to the top spot in a national windsurfing competition.

Liath Campbell – a former Trefonen Primary School and Marches School pupil – came first in the ladies section of the Wave Classic windsurfing competition in Tiree, Scotland, last week.

Competing against seven other ladies, Liath, waved her way through the course to get the highest score – no mean feat for only her third competition.

“I competed for the first time last year,” she said. “This is only my third competition. I came fourth in this competition last year.

“It’s really exciting. I was quite surprised to have won. They only reveal the winner at the prize-giving at the end so you don’t know what score you had until then.

“You’re scored on your style on a wave, and your turns.

“And then you’re scored on jumps – if you landed them correctly and what jump you did.

“It’s a really fun event, competing against women who are pushing the standards.”

But this is not the first time the 24-year-old has visited Tiree, as she learnt the ropes from her Scottish dad, John, as a child.

“I used to go to Tiree for the whole of the summer holidays,” Liath added. “It would be there that I would practice my windsurfing.

“It’s the world’s longest running windsurfing event in Tiree.”

Following on from last week’s success, Liath, who now lives in Oxford, has plans to take part in the next part of the British Wave Sailing Tour, taking place in Cornwall, next week.

“I’ll be going to St Ives next week if the event goes ahead,” she added.

“I’ve been training at Avon Beach in Christchurch.

“I try and get out and train whenever I can. It’s very much weather dependent.”